Did you know I used to take piano lessons? I was awful. As I like to put it, I can't think with both hands at the same time. When I found out we were moving to Colorado, I saw an opportunity to quit piano lessons once and for all. The problem was the big recital that stood in my way.
This is bad, you guys. Part of me is ashamed of what I did, and part of me is still that proud 12-year-old. I devised a plan and kept it secret until my performance. You see, I was going to be playing Mozart's Symphony No. 40, and someone was going to announce it as that just before I played. But the way I played, you couldn't tell it was Mozart. Everyone would know I was butchering the heck out of the song. So I made up my mind to practice only the recognizable right-handed portion of the song and play without my left hand.
My parents (and grandparents? She was there, right?) were disappointed in me, if I remember correctly, but I still think it was more of a success than it would have been if I had tried to practice both hands. Still, I wish I had the talent and the discipline to have really pulled off a performance that day rather than half-handing it.
Here's someone who can play it.
I was sitting at Wing Stop with my parents when I heard this song for the first time, soft and barely audible through the restaurant speakers. I tried to remember some of the song lyrics so I could look it up later because it sounded cool, but all I could ever remember was people sitting on rooftops. I should have looked it up; the title is "Rooftops." Anyway, I didn't hear it again until I heard my boyfriend at the time playing it, and I got all excited and shortly I learned to play it, too. You know, on Guitar Hero: World Tour.
I'm sorry if you expected a real instrument. If it helps, I can also play "Taps" on my harmonica. I could the last time I checked, anyway. Other than that, no musical ability whatsoever.
There's an artist I've been dying to talk about, and fortunately one of her songs fits into this category for me. It's Dawn Landes, and I know nothing about her except she has a crazy awesome voice and her music is best when listened to at night (as recommended by a friend of mine). There is one song that always catches me off guard because of the strange lyrics. I don't know what to do other than laugh at it.
I think this is it... "Picture Show" by Dawn Landes
At my sister's request, I have to mention a certain band I once loved somewhere is this challenge. This is the only place for them at this point, and I think I might have put them here all along if I had remembered them. The band I'm talking about is Bowling for Soup, and I think almost all of their music makes me laugh. I'm more of a Hangover You Don't Deserve kind of person, but Drunk Enough to Dance was cool too. I'm not familiar with most of The Great Burrito Extortion Case. My parents laughed at my Bowling for Soup phase, I think. Who wouldn't? Weird name, weird band. But I love them. One of my favorites, which I definitely laugh it, is "Two-Seater." It's a classic break-up song, way cooler than Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats."
Fun Fact: I sang that one in the shower the other day. I mean, Fun Fact: Bowling for Soup also sings the title song for Phineas and Ferb. So stick with us 'cause Phineas and Ferb are gonna do it all.
Someone brought up the point to me that I won't be there, so it's really more up to my family and loved ones who will be at my funeral. Honestly, I don't look forward to that particular date yet anyway, so I say who cares? I'm just going to do this thing.
I'll start of with "Old Rugged Cross" because it just seems right. I think my mom is a fan (Mom, please don't attend my funeral. I plan to attend yours instead. Thanks.) This topic is morbid. So... Anyway, this is a great hymn, and I've heard it at funerals before, and if I had the choice I'd play it at mine. This one's Anne Murray; I wouldn't be too picky about the artist, but it would have to be a woman.
I also think "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is beautiful. Soft, slow, and sweet. Absolutely perfect. The one I'm including is by Zooey Deschanel from She & Him Volume 1. I love Deschanel's voice, and this is the most beautiful version of the song I've heard. I think it would be the coolest for this one to be sung a Capella (is there any other way?) by a small ensemble. I've heard it done by a barbershop quartet and thought it was fantastic.
I don't even know why I'm including this last one, except that I just can't get it out of my head. I don't know if I can say for sure, like I can with the other two, that I'd like it played at my funeral, but I do think it's beautiful, and I like that's just sad and slow enough but also full of hope. I'll have to over-analyze the lyrics before I make any further decisions. For now, please just enjoy... "Blackbird" by The Beatles.
So I looked it up, and it's actually about racial tension. Well, you know what, that's the meaning intended when it was written. I'm an English major, and I think we're allowed to assign our own meaning. If I wanted to, I could definitely see this as a funeral song, especially for Christians.
This post is somewhat incorrectly titled, because I don't want a wedding. That's how I feel right now, anyway. I'll change my mind tomorrow, and then in a couple weeks I'll be right back to this again, or something like that. Anyway, someone who doesn't want a wedding half the time, does not take the time to plan out music the other half of the time. So I have no idea. But I think this could be a really cute song for the father-daughter dance at the reception, for any girl who would have the guts to play it. I'm pretty sure I would just cry. I've always found it incredibly sweet, in an almost sad way.
"I Loved Her First" by Heartland
P.S. If my sister is reading this...You're not allowed to steal this and use it at your wedding first. If you already had it in mind then...I'll think about allowing it. ;)
This sort of relates to the category I'm supposed to talk about today: a song you listen to when you're sad. I'll tell you how: You may or may not remember my day 4 (a song that makes you sad), but I gave a video for the original song as well as a fan cover of the song. This was done by a cool kid named Julia Nunes. I wanted to talk about her a little bit more because, while most of her covers are pretty solid, I think her original songs are pretty creative too. So I'd like to share some her stuff with you. She does announcements at the end of most of these, so you can stop watching when the song is over.
I'll start with "Maybe I Will," because I think this one has a pretty cool video. This took a lot of work, I'm sure, and it looks pretty neat.
Next up is "The Debt." I love everything she does in this one. So much talent.
I think I'm just in love with her, because I even like this one:
Anyway, there's a lot of talent out there on YouTube, if you know where to look or if one day you happen to stumble upon a quirky girl with a great voice like Julia Nunes. If any of you guys have discovered someone super talented on YouTube, please share with your comments!
Today is supposed to be a song I listen to when I'm happy, but I already covered the happy category with day 3. Instead, I decided to try to steal a category my best friend used as a substitute, which was theme songs from his favorite shows. Unfortunately, he pretty much used all of them, so I have to be as creative as I can.
I'll start off with Community, my current favorite TV show. My friend already highlighted the theme song in his post for today (you can read his blog here) so I feel like I can't talk about that now. Instead, here's Troy and Abed's Spanish rap. It's fun even though it doesn't make sense, like pretty much everything Troy and Abed do together.
Makes me smile every time. Well, I might as well throw in the season two Anthropology rap. Because, you know, it has Betty White.
Another them song my friend highlighted was the 30 Rock theme song. I love and hate that song because, while it is incredibly catchy, that just means it gets stuck in my head every time I watch an episode. The love overrides the hate though, for sure. Another fun song from 30 Rock is Jenna's "Muffin Top," apparently quite popular in Israel. I tried to find the clip of Jenna actually performing the song, but YouTube isn't perfect. This just has pictures of the cast in the background, but I guess it works. Anyway, this song is hilarious just because of how weird and awkward it is. Another good one is Tracy Jordan's "Werewolf Bar Mitzfah." (I'm not including that one, sorry.)
Moving away from NBC now, one of my favorite shows on TV is Psych. What I love about Psych is that it's a comedy and a drama. It's flexible enough to have some serious plots without losing its humor. And the theme song is catchy and does a great job summing up the premise of the show. Here's the full-length version of "I Know You Know."
I think four songs is enough for today. Thanks for reading, I had fun with this one.
